April 24 First Day of Ramadan in North America
According to the council, astronomical new moon is on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 2:27 Universal Time. On that day, everywhere in North and South America at sunset the elongation is at least 8 degrees and moon is at least 5 degrees above the sun. Therefore, the first day of Ramadan 1441 is on Friday, April 24, 2020.
The FCNA also said that a month later, the astronomical new moon is on Friday, May 22, 2020 at 17:40 Universal Time. On that day there is no place on earth where at sunset the elongation is 8 degrees and moon is 5 degrees above the sun. Therefore Shawwal 1441 cannot start the next day. Hence the first day of Shawwal, marking Eid al-Fitr, will be on Sunday, May 24.
The Fiqh Council of North America, according to its website, is a body of recognized and qualified Islamic Scholars from the United States and Canada who accept the Quran and authentic Sunnah as the primary sources of Islam.
